The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1887-08-19
ACROSS THE ISLAND.
ROBERT P. PoRTeR's TRIP OVER
ENGLAND ON A. TRICYCLE..

from Guilford the Journey Is Continual
to Winchester-A Stop at Aldershot,
Town of Soldiers-An Accident ON tho
Hoad-Thc Ancient Capital of England.
Especial Correspondence
....=. LONDON, July %.
The Angel at Guilford is one of the most
ancient inns in the kingdom 1t has good
deal of oak paneling, massive time worn
rafters and curious crypt beneath. ! had
been advised to take a hot bath after the first
days exertion, which I did on arriving at
the hotel. After dinner we lighted our cigars
and went out to explore the town. Mr. Will
son took the precaution to put on the "de-
tective," small instantaneous photographing
apparatus he carried concealed under his
coat i'll case opportunity should be afforded
for shot We walked for two hours The
hot bath had apparently removed all stiff
ness, and / felt no inconvenience from the
trip, except soreness arising from my bruised
shins.
Tho situation of Guilford is perhaps the
most singular and romantic of any town i'll
England. 1t lies on the sides of chalk hills,
sloping down quick to the river, which runs
tho inhabitants of the place must become 60
accustomed to these ups and downs that
level walk Of fifteen minutes might entirely
lnses their equilibrium. Like most places i'll
mo south OF England, Guilford traces its origin
nacl; u tlo tno OF the Saxons. Indeed, il l
mistake .,o5, - y-as here that Harold tortured
anu cruelty murdered several hundred Nor
mans who came over with Prince Aefrid,
claimant for the crown of England. Aefrid
was clapped into q castle and his eyes put out.
Centuries after that Guilford used to 'stand
W II by WOOL" as the old chroniclerS put it.
In the time of Queen Elizabeth its reputation
TO. tho manufacture Of woocr cloth v7SeS co
grca5 tia, W g, c.de-, o. Ks cc-.;cc:.-.:.c:1,
.ycr.- :: ,rorls3 l.crpc' vss c,sii'~- :.
i...l!,mtri ii :. : ..oc. &c: H.. 10. =
IL -. no., ;.;l,lci g penalty OF G5. 81. ii
80 { neglect. This struck me c5 c queer
ia, hut suppose the object was to advertise
hc ataplo industry of tho place. If this
int'nn was carried out nowadays the signs OF
,li3 Gin shops and beer shops OF old England
wouid present g moro variel and extraordi-
nary appearance than they do
hnr'l,c; OF this it may be well TO mention
ti5 t,i1 southwestern countie; of England
have tnusii;,l Interest for lie, from the fact
th * ;,lo heoinnnG OF tho Eighteenth CEN
turJ - wero tho seat OF tho greatest COM
..il.',:. -! ..::.auEactling industry. The
wo.,,t,l manufacture TaG chiefly i'll tho west
~, COUNT IS, as it had Leer from tho tinio of
!. iwarl VI. Ii. tho days before steam power
M! tho application OF chemical science to
.nanufac1liro, natural advantages wholly de-
.e::ni-,ot! Nc localization OF trades. On the
w.. ,.ow..5 aud wide plains of tL;S part OF
iceland .nnumcrablc 1ocl15 fed. Clothing
n,3i5 like Guilford were surrounded by
tributary villages, in the cottages of which
women and children performed the spinning.
Tie clothiers of the towns sent their pack
lorses laden with wool and brought bccE the
ppm yarn ready for the weaver; loo::.:. How
different all this is from tho vast factories i'll
.he coke towns of tho north OF England,
wlere cloth is made for the millions of human
'nings who have become nero autonatans
When the seat of the cloth industry was in
lie southwestern counties the man set UP his
own loom, stored lls soft yarn, strained lL'.
warp along his garden walk or by the road
side, took the web to the fulliuS mill and
rfterwaru to the dyer's. But the old loom is
rapidly passing away. Occasionally during
this trip have met with an old fashioned
weaver, and in future letter some space
will be devoted to tho lace makers of Dorset
shire ana DeVOllShlfe. ne WOfu moves
more rapidly now, aud old time methods arc
looked upon with irreverence, though some-
times think til were more humane than the
industrial organization OF today.
#*a
It was nearly dusk when from ono of the
surrounding hills took last look at the
:oweis and spires and turrets of Guilford and
If the inollering ruins of the castle, and re-
turned to the hotel That night I dreamed
my legs had assumed an enormous size, and
that on tricycle. of tremendous proportions
was vainly trying to ride over the barren
hills and craters of the moon.
Next morning we were up before o'clock
The sun shone brightly and the sky was
clear blue Nearly all soreness and stiffness
had disappeared, and felt good for at least
tiity miles that day. The immediate pros
pect of brilliant run was not cheering. We
were hemmed i'll by hills. Our departure
from Guilford was along what is called the
Hogs Back" to Farnham, as we intended to
do little camp life at Aldershot. The "Hog's
Back" is n curious upthrow of chalk. The
guile book informed us that its highest point
is nowhere more than sos feet. It took three
mills of solid climbing to reach this point.
The view the whole distance was OF great ex-
tent on either side, and at times very pic